PKR’s bid to compel Khalid dismissed
(The Star) – The High Court here has dismissed an application by PKR and its former secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to compel former Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim to produce the settlement agreement between him and Bank Islam
Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah held that the application did not hold any merit and was not relevant to the defence against the defamation suit.
PKR and Saifuddin had applied to obtain the settlement agreement on the grounds that it was relevant and could substantiate their defence in the defamation suit initiated by Khalid against Saifuddin and the PKR secretary-general.
Saifuddin was the party secretary-general when Khalid filed the suit but he has since been replaced by Rafizi Ramli.
In his statement of claim against the application to view the agreement, Khalid said the document was not necessary because there was no dispute between parties that a settlement between him and the bank existed.
Khalid said the issue should be whether Saifuddin and PKR would be able to substantiate their allegations that he had reached the settlement with the bank inappropriately and unethically.
He also said the application was also an afterthought by Saifuddin and PKR to fish for evidence to prop-up their unmeritorious defence.
Khalid added that Bank Islam had not consented for the disclosure of the settlement agreement.
The former mentri besar and Bank Islam had agreed on an out of court settlement for the RM66.67mil loan he had obtained from the bank in 2001 to buy Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd shares. Khalid had filed the defamation suit against Saifuddin and PKR over the contents of a letter alleging the former mentri besar to be embroiled in misconduct and corrupt practices.
The letter which surfaced during the infamous Kajang Move, alleged that Khalid had used the services of a well-connected middleman to broker the out of court settlement.
The defamation case will be heard before Justice Mohamad Zabidin from May 18 to 21.
